peters



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM D. SLOAN, OF NEW' YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIC LATI-IE FOR TURNING IRREGULAR FORMS.

i Specification of Letters Patent No. 16,936, dated March 31, 1857.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM D. SLOAN, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machinery for `Turning Art-icleswhich are of Irregular Form in the Direction of their Length, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine with the frame work removed to eX- hibit the working parts below the table; Fig. 2, a vertical section taken at the line A, a, of Fig. l and looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 3, an elevation of the left hand endof the machine; Fig. 4, a separate elevation of the finishing cutter with the mechanism for operating it; Fig. 5, a longitudinal section taken at the line B, of Fig. 2; and Fig. 6, an enlarged view of the finishing cutter in the actual form and as developed on a fiat plane.

The same letters indicate like parts in all the figures.

My said invention is mainly intended for turning the tips for umbrella whalebones, but it is applicable to the turning of various articles that are of an irregular figure in the direction of their length. In my said invention the block to be turned is shifted in succession from one to another of a series of cutters, each one of which operates upon the entire length to be turned, for the purpose of gradually reducing the block to the required form; and there are a series of mandrels, so` that a series of blocks are in the process of being turned at the same time, that is to say, when one mandrel is brought to the required position to discharge one completed block and to receive a fresh block, another mandrel is in the position to present another block to the first rangling cutter, a third is in the position to present its block to the second rangling cutter, a fourth is presenting its block to the third rangling cutter, and a fifth to the finishing cutter, and so on to any desired number, more or less, there being always one more mandrel than there are cutters, or sets of cutters, in the machine. By this means the operations are subdivided, and yet one article is delivered completed and a rough block put in at the end of each one of the series of operations performed on any one block.

In the `accompanying drawings a represents a shaft mounted in suitable boxes in and then'back to the wheel L.

two standards b, 5 of the frame; and this shaft carries` four plates arranged in two pairs c, `c `and d, d. In the pair c, c are mounted five parallel mandrels e, e, c, e, e arranged at equal distances apart, and at equal distances from the aXis of the shaft a.

The mandrels are each provided with a suitable pulley f to receive a band g from a band wheel h on the driving shaft z'. This band passes from the band wheel l1, around a guide pulley g, thence around the series of pulleys f on the mandrels, around another guide pulley ,7c by the side of the one j, T In this way this band drives all the mandrels except the one that happens to be in front, which is in the position required for discharging the finished article, and to receive a rough block at which time the mandrel should not turn. The inner end of each mandrel is to be suitably constructed to receive and hold the block to be turned, and in this case, for turning umbrella tips, it is of a conical shape to receive the block of bone or other material which is previously bored out at one end with the required conical socket to fit on the end of the whalebones. In the two other plates (l, d are mounted a series of spindles Z corresponding in number with, and in the line of the mandrels above described. These spindles are provided with pulleys m like t-he mandrels, and rot-ated by a band n from a band wheel 0 on the driving shaft, which band passes around guide rollers in every respect arranged to rotate the spindles, as the band g rotates the mandrels. The spindles are so mounted that they can slide longitudinally in the plates, and the outer end of each, beyond the outer plate, is con nected with a sliding frame p by means of an adjustable collar (q) which can be shifted to adapt the distance between the spindles and mandrels to suit the length of blocks to be turned, and an adjustable center screw r which bears against the end of the spindle. Each one of these frames is provided with two guide rods s and t fitted to slide in suitable holes in the outer plate, and the rod s is of a suliicient length to slide also in ahole in the inner plate, a spring u being coiled around the rod s to force the frame, with its spindle, outward against the face of a cam plate v attached to the frame, and the face of this plate, from the point l to 2 in the direction of the arrow is perfectly flat, to keep the inner end of the spindles against the end of the several blocks and thushold them on the mandrel in a true central position; but from the point 2 to 1, the face is cut out, cain like, by a gradual inclination in opposite directions to permit the tension of the springs u to force back the frames and their spindles, when eachinr succession lcomes to that part of the circuit for the purpose of liberating the block on the corresponding mandrel. As the blocks to be turned may vary slightly in length, the frames do not bear directly aga-inst the face of the cam plate o, but, instead there is a spring w of sufficient tension interposed, to render each spindle self adjusting to any slight variation in length. The spring fw may bear directly against the face of the cam plate, or each may carry a conical friction roller to reduce the friction.

An intermittent rotary motion is given to thevshaft a with its plates to shift the mandrels andv corresponding spindles from one position to another, which is done by means of a cogged sector m on a cam shaft y. This shaft carries a cog wheel w on the opposite end, which receives motion from a pinion a on a belt wheel that receives motion' in turn by a belt b from the driving shaft. Once in every revolution the cogged sect-or @c engages a cog wheel c on the shaft a and turns it to the extent of the distance between the centers of any two of the mandrels; and asv the sector wheel leaves the wheel c the shaft a, with its appendages is locked to hold the mandrels in position until the next shifting operation. And this locking is effected in the following manner, viz: On the shaft a there is another plate d with recesses e in its face and near the periphery. The number and' distance apart of these recesses correspond with the mandrels.

v`When any one of these recesses is brought to the required position, a vertically sliding bolt f that passes through a mortise in the table of the frame, enters the recess and there locks the whole in position until the next shifting operation is required to take place, at which time the bolt is drawn out. This bolt is operated by a lever la connected with the bolt by a jointed rod i, and at the required time the lever is depressed by a tappet j on the shaft y which keeps the lever depressed during the shifting motion, and then liberates it to permit the bolt to be forced into the next recess by the tension of a spring 7c. The plate al is just beyond t-he back end of the mandrels, and it is provided with screws, one for each mandrel, and in line therewith to form central pivots to take the friction of the mandrels.

When the machine is used for turning umbrella tips or other articles which are to Y be vleft with a round or pointed end, the end of vthe spindles Z which form the central support to hold the blocks on the mandrels,

are to be cup shaped as represented in the drawing Fig. 5, and as the spindles turn with the mandrels no friction will be developed between the spindles and the blocks; but when the articles to be turned are not so shaped at the end, the spindles may be pointed to form centers as in ordinary* lathes, and in such case the spindles need not be lmade to rotate. I

Three rangling cutter wheels d4, e4, f4 are arranged outside of the series ofi-mandrels ink such positions that the three can act simultaneously on three dierent blocks. The three cutter wheels are mounted in the same manner, and hence the description of one will suiiice for all. The cutter' wheel I prefer to make of two plates with the cutting edges formed on the edge and one side of the edge of each, so that when the two are placed face `to face and secured on the end of the arbor g the edge and the two face-s near the edge will present a series of cutting edges; but the cutters may be formed iny any other suitable manner. The arbor g is fitted to turn in a sleeve 72,4 on the lower end of a plate 4 fitted to slide radially in ways jt attached to the face of a segment ring Ict placed outside of the series of mandrels, and the lower ends of this segment are formed into horizontal sliding bars Z, Z fitted to slide horizontally in ways m', m in. the table of the frame, and below the table the sliding bars are connected by a plate n. The 'object of this connection is to carry the series of rangling cutter wheels longitudinally over the length of the block to be turned and back again, that the cutters may act upon the said blocks along the length-to be turned. The required longitudinal motion is given to this apparatus by a lever 0 one end of which is connected by aI connecting rod p with the plate n, and the other end with a sliding rod g which carries a roller or wrist pin 4" that runs in the groove of a cam s on a shaft t which receives motion bybevel cog wheels u, u from the cam shaft y. The form of the cam groove s is such as represented in Fig. l as to cause t-he rangling cutters to traverse back and forth over the length of the blocks on the mandrels three times for every complete revolution of the shaft t and then hold the cutters in a stationary position for a sufiicient length of time to allow the series of mandrels, and the blocks which they carry, to be shifted from one position to another, as before described. The ful- Crum pin of the lever o passes through an elongated hole in the said lever so that it can be shifted to increase or decrease the range of motion of the rangling vcutters to suit the length of blocks to be turned.

As the rangling cutters traverse back and forth over the length of the blocks they are made to rotate at a high velocity by a pul ley w on the opposite end of each arbor g each pulley receiving a band w from a band wheel y on the driving shaft. And as the said rangling cutters so traverse back `and forth they are made to approach the axis of the blocks being turned and recede therefrom to determine the form to be produced by a mold or former e the face of which presents the configuration required to be given to the blocks. There is one such mold for each rangling cutter, and the outer end of the plate i* which carries the arbor of the cutter, is formed so as to slide against the face of the mold, against which it is made to bear by the `tension of a spring t2 which acts on the under part of the sleeve. In this way the rangling cutter wheels are made to i reduce the block to a form corresponding with the form of the mold; but as each cutter wheel traverses back and forth three times over each block, making six cuts along the entire length, (although the number may be increased or decreased) it is necessary that the cuttersshould be made to approach the axes of the blocks at the end of each longitudinal motion, which is effected by advancing the molds at the end of each cut. To do this, each mold is fitted to and held by a screw or key in a socket made in the inner end of a plate b2 which slides radially in suitable ways c2 attached to another segment ring d? permanently attached to the table of the frame. Each plate b2 is provided with a pin e2 which projects from its face and passes through a hole in the seg* ment ring cl2 of sufcient size to allow the required extent of motion. This pin fits accurately in a long slot in a plate f2 attached to another segment ring g2 fitted to slide in the direction of its curvature in a recess in the face of the outer segment ring d2 so that when this ring g2 slides in either direction the slot in the plates f2 attached thereto will slide on the pins e2 of the plates b2 that carry the molds, and thus move the molds in or out in proportion to the inclination of the line of the slots in the plates f2 to the line of motion of the segment ring g2. To vary this inclination of the slots to increase or decrease the extent of motion tobe given to the cutters, that they may be set to cut more or less at each operation, the plates f2 are made with ajournal like projection h2 on their inner faces which fit and turn in corresponding holes in the segment ring g2, and the screws e by which they are secured to the sliding ring pass through elongated holes so that the plates can be shifted on the ring. And' for the purpose of setting the molds to turn blocks of greater or less diameter, the pins e2 of the plates b2 instead of being permanently attached to the plates have an enlargement fitted to slide in a longitudinal slot y'2 in the plate b2, and an adjusting screw k2 is tapped in the enlarge ment, and is fitted by suitable journals to turn in the said plate, so that by taking hold of the head of the screw, by a wrench or other means, and turning it, the pin being held in the slot of the plate f2, the plate Z22 with the mold is moved in or out, which has the effect to carry the cutters nearer to, or farther from, the axes of the blocks, and thus turn them to a greater or less diameter.

As the sliding of the segment ring g2 in one direction draws out the molds to permit the springs to force the cutters away from the blocks, and in the other direction to force the cutters toward the blocks, it is necessary, at the end of each complete series of cutting operations, to slide the segment ring in the direction of the arrow (see Fig. 3) that the cutters may be carried out to the farthest required position from the axes of the blocks. The motion in the direction of the arrow is imparted by the weight of the segment ring (which may be assisted by a spring) the greater part of which is on one side of a vertical line passing through the axis of the circle, and the extent of the motion in that direction is governed by a roller Z2 on the end of the segment ring coming in contact with the section l of a cam m4D on the cam shaft y. This cam is divided into seven sections, correspondingly numbered, each successive section being at a greater distance from the axis of the shaft, and the position of this cam on the shaft is such relatively to the other movements that at the end of each motion of the cutters along the length of the blocks, the next section of the cam m2 comes into action to move the segment ring g2 and thereby advance the molds; and at the end of the series of traversing motions of the cutters, section 7 of the cam passes olf and allows the roller to run onto section 1 and thereby move the seg ment ring in the direction of the arrow to draw back the molds preparatory to a new series of operations. y

'Ihe three rangling cutters should be set in succession farther from the axes of the blocks, as each in succession cuts deeper into the block; the one Z4 makes the first cut, e4 the second cut, and f4 the third cut, as the block is shifted in succession from the first to the third. After the block leaves the third rangling cutter it is shifted to the fourth position where it is acted upon by the finishing or smoothing cutter n2. The said smoothing cutter n2 is peculiar in its mode of operation. It is in the form of a tube either entire or a segment, and in this instance a segment with a cutting edge on the end. It lies against the upper part of an arbor 02` and is there held by a surrounding thimble and temper screw, but may be otherwise secured or may be a part of the arbor. The cut-ting edge of this cutterI is such, as represented at Fig. 6, that if devel- 35 to pass along the length of the block, while oped on a flat plane it will be the reverse of the `figure to be produced on the article to be turned, and as in this case an umbrella tip,

the cavity l forming the bulb or knob on the end of the tip and the gradual curvature from the cavity l to the point 2 corresponding with the form of the body of a tip. But it will be seen that any other configuration may be given to the cutter at the pleasure of the constructor.

' The arbor o2 stands slightly inclined from a lvertical line so that the face of t-he cutter isin a line tangent to the block when turned, as lthe hand turner holds a gage to the block which he turns. The said arbor turns freely but accurately in the base of a stock 792 which slides horizontally on ways made in the face of a standard g2 attached to the up v per face of a carriage r2 by means of a screw or other suitable means.A The stock p2 is connected by a joint pin s2 with one end of a rod t2. that slides horizontally in suitable Y ways; This rod is provided with an arm u2 which slides thereon and connected therewith by an adjusting screw o2 journaled 1n the rod, so that by turning the said screw `the position of thisarm on the rod can be shifted for adjustment.

The arm u2 carries a roller 'wg which is made to bear against the face of a cam :r2 on the shaft t before named, and the form of this cam (as represented in Fig.l l) is such as to move the plate t2 with the cutter a2 in the direction of the arrow (see Fig. l) and to the required distance to cause the cutter the series "of rangling cutters are performling their series of operations on other blocks, and then to permit the tension of the spring to draw it back. lVhen the rod t2 is drawn-back it is gaged in its back motion by a stop a4 which comes in contact with the end of a set! screw b4 which gages and regu lates the point where the cutter isfadvanced tobegin its operation. -I propose in some instances to make this smoothing cutter act on the material in both direct-ions, in which case either the return spring must have sufiicient tension or the return motion must be 504 given by a reversed cam or other equivalent. As the cutter is 'moved along the length of the block it is made to rotate on its aXis by means of a cogged pinion y2v on the lower end of the arbor', which engages a rack z2 attached to the carriage r2, and as the pitch line of the Apinion is of the average of the radius Vof the cutter it follows that the face of the said cutter instead of sliding on the block which it cuts will roll on the surface, and in this way constantly change the active part of the cutting edge instead of having the same part of the cutting edge inaction during the whole time of cutting. The carriage r2 slides on ways a3 on the table at right angles with the motion ofthe plate p2,

and the said carriage is connected by an adjusting screw b3 with the arm c3 of a hori- Zontal sliding bar Z3 under the table, which said bar is drawn forward to draw the cutter away from the block which is being turned, by the tension of a spring 63,' and this sliding bar is also provided with a roller fr which, by the tension of this spring is kept in contact with the face of a cam g3 on the cam shaft y, which cam is so formed as to advance the carriage with its cutter n2 to the block just before the cut-ter begins to move laterally. And although I have stated that the cutting edge of t-he cutter when developed on a flat plane is the reverse of the form to be turned, it will be obvious that t-he mode of operation of this part of my invention can be applied by making the cut-ting edge a true circle, or a segment of a circle, and developing the ligure desired to be produced on the face of the cam g3, so that as the cutter is made to traverse from end to end it will be moved toward and from the axis of the block that is being turned, the compound motion causing the axis of the cutter to describe a line corresponding with the desired form. The form thus imparted either by the figure of the rolling cutter or by the cam should correspond with the form of t-he molds which direct the rangling cutters,

In front of the series of mandrels there is a rocking and sliding shaft h3 with an armback of the turned block.

There is a helical spring on the rock shaft h3 the tension of which'tends to rotate and also to draw the shaft endwise and hold the bifurcated arm in the required position,

which position is gaged by another arm I7'3' (see Fig. 3) on the other end of the rock shaft, which comes in contact with a stop 7c3. As the mandrels are shifting place the one which carries the finished block first enters the bifurcation of the arm 3, and as the mandrel continues to move 1t carries the arm ling cutters it moves the rock shaft end-v wise to make the fork on the arm 3 force the turned Aand finished block from the end of .the mandrel to discharge it, the opposite endv thereof having just before been liberated by the corresponding spindle in the manner already described. So soon as the finished block is discharged the operative can put a rough block on the mandrel, and as he puts it on and holds it in line the spindle Z is forced forward against the opposite end to hold it on the mandrel by the action of the cam plate v before described. And as soon as the rough block is brought into proper position the first rangling cutter Wheel 0lt acts upon it to rough it dovvn. It is then shifted to the second rangling cutter e1 which brings it nearer to the required size and form, and While this operation is being performed the first cutter di is acting on another rough block and so in succession to the third rangling cutter ft, thence to the finishing cutter and finally to the place of discharge; and although there are five stopping places in the circuit and each block is in succession subjected to the operation o-f four successive cutters, yet every time the shaft a turns to shift the mandrels a. finished block is discharged and a rough block putin.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that instead of three rangling cutters and five mandrels the number may be increased or diminished at the pleasure of the constructor. Instead of having one rangling cutter Wheel on Ieach arber, and one finishing cutter to act upon the entire length of each block, there may be tWo or more, each acting on a section of the length of the block, and there may be tvvo or more finishing cutters to act simultaneously on different parts of the same block, and only one rangling cutter Wheel for each division, such modification being Wholly at the discretion of the constructor Who in such matters will be in a great measure governed by the length of the articles to be turned and the character of the form to be produced. So With reference to the molds for directing the line of motion of the rangling cutters to determine the configuration of the article to be turned; instead of the molds above described for directing the cutters, the required form may be developed on the several sections of the cam m2 Which operates the sliding segment ring g2 With its slots so that the said cam may move the said sliding ring and thereby move the axes of the rangling cutters toward and from the axes of the blocks as they traverse over the length of said blocks. And With. regard to the detailed construction of the severalparts it will be obvious that many changes may be made by the substitution of equivalent means Without changing the character of my invention, as for instance, instead of the cogged sector to impart an intermittent rotary motion to the series of mandrels and spindles, an arm with a pin may be substituted, to act in radial recesses cut in the periphery of the cog Wheel on the end of the shaft a. This is only given as an example of the changes which may be made Without changing the principle or mode of operation of my invention.

Vhat I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent isl. The series of rotating and shifting mandrels for rotating the blocks to be turned and shifting them from one operation to another, substantially as described, in combination with the series of traversing cutters guided by patterns or molds to determine the form to be produced, substantially as described, whereby a series of blocks are simultaneously subjected. to the series of operations, and each in succession subjected to all the operations, as set forth.

2. I also claim the mode of operation, substantially as described, of the cutter, termed the finishing cutter, which said mode of operation consists in rolling the cutting edge along the surface of the block that is being turned, as described, by reason of which a small portion only of the cutting edge is cutting at any one time, and immediately relieved and followed by another portion of the said cutting edge, as set forth.

3. I also claim the sliding segment ring, with its slots, substantially as described, in combination With the cutters and their appendages, substantially as described, for carrying the rangling cutters nearer to the axes of the blocks at each successive cutting action, as set forth.

WM. D. SLOAN. l/Vitnesses: IVM. I-I. BISHOP,

JOEL B. WILSON. 

